Allied Promises
by YumeMori
Summary: Five-hundred years ago, Sango became entangled with a Toushin. Like all lovers wanting to work, they made sacrifices and deals. One deal catches up to Kagome even in her own time as she's dragged into a new realm.
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer:** I claim no ownership of _Sengoku Otogizoushi - InuYasha_ or _Yu Yu Hakusho. InuYasha_ belongs to Takahashi Rumiko, Shogakukan, Viz Media, ShoPro Entertainment, and Shounen; while _Yu Yu Hakusho_ belongs to Togashi Yoshihiro, Shueisha, Viz Media, and Shounen. No profit or money of any kind is made from this fan-created crossover.

* * *

**_Allied Promises  
_**_Chapter One  
_

* * *

_Present-Day Tokyo_

"And here is the Goshinboku," Kagome said, gesturing behind her as her tour of grade-school children stopped in front of her.

The large tree swayed in the wind, almost as if on cue, and many of its blossoms fell around them. The children tried their hardest not to show any outward signs of their amusement or joy, but it showed through their grins. Kagome allowed herself to smile as well as she brushed back her long black hair, the sleeve of her white haori falling back from her slender arms and revealing a smooth white scar that was obviously branded on the young woman. It caught her notice and her smile turned sad.

_"Please... I love him Kagome-chan."_ Those words seemed to echo in her mind whenever she noticed it. She would always be amazed at how the smallest things could put the most awesome and extraordinary events into motion. First the jewel, then a scarred over brand.

Her little brother caught her attention, bringing her mind back into the present. Souta looked so concerned and so much older than the seventeen-year-old he was in reality. She gave him a reassuring smile before turning back to the children in front of her.

"Do you all remember the time-traveling miko that I told you about at the Hone no Kui-Ide?" She paused and waited for them to confirm that they _did_ remember. "And I did promise to tell you what happened after that... And I left off at her returning to the past and the life she left behind after being away for three years. Well, while she was gone much had changed..."

* * *

_1558, Japan_

Sango, in repentance to Sesshoumaru for a horrible deed she nearly committed in the battle against Naraku, had spent the last year training Kohaku at their old village. He knew of the feelings between Rin and Kohaku, and he wanted the young boy able to protect his charge. So Sango trained him. For quite a few months, they rebuilt their village. To build up his strength and endurance, and for his own repentance for his own dark deeds. The best way to repent was to rebuild what one had destroyed and to live a second chance.

People slowly trickled in to the rebuilt village. Life returned and grew with each passing month. Sango found herself with a few more apprentices who wanted to learn how to fight. It was all she would teach them as she never taught them the ways of youkai slaying. She had too many as friends and family to ever teach another how to kill them, though she did give others the tools to kill those who would come after them.

And there was one she knew needed to die.

News had come to Kohaku and her about a youkai who was eating humans. It did not sit well with her. Her father's words from when she was younger about such a youkai caused a cold fear to travel up her spine.

_"Only the most powerful youkai need to eat humans. They will look human, they will speak our language, and they may even know our ways. But they are youkai to be feared because only humans give them the strength and subsistence necessary to live. They hold enough strength that they could destroy the world in a fit of anger..."_

She left Kohaku behind at the village when she left to track down the youkai. She knew it was likely that she would die, but Kohaku would know where she went and after whom, and if she didn't return in two weeks, he was to go find Inuyasha and Miroku to tell them what happened.

Just like her younger days, she traveled with only Kirara. It was extremely nostalgic, especially with all the people now living at her old village. Sango looked back only once at the village before hopping onto Kirara's back and searching out her human-eating youkai.

Three days later, further north than she had been in a long while, she found him.

He was tall, most likely taller than Sesshoumaru, and covered in tattoos. It was more than obvious that those tattoos were signs of his power and species -- a Toushin. Not someone just _anyone_ could take down. He straightened his shoulders, and she watched as he used his forearm to wipe off his mouth, or so it appeared given that he was facing away from her. In typical long-haired pretty youkai fashion, he brushed back the long silver locks of hair before turning to face her.

The tattoos she saw on his shoulders covered his chest as well. He cracked his knuckles and her eyes took in how his muscles moved fluidly with his skin. It was beyond obvious he was someone she could not kill or take down, not with how fit he was physically nor with how oppressive his youki was. Yet she was not raised to back down from a fight.

Sango slid off Kirara's back, her right hand grasping the familiar strap of hiraiikotsu still on her back. "The human villages nearby are getting upset with your eating habits," she said. She kept her voice clear of her fear and focused on her job. "Apparently, they don't like being used for food."

He smirked and crossed his arms. "Funny. Youkai don't like being used for weapons either." He tilted his head toward her, or rather her weapon, instead of to Kirara at her side.

She stiffened which only made his smirk turn into a grin. "So, slayer. How are we gonna do this? A good old-fashioned fight to the death where I try to crush you and you try to hit me with your weapon?"

"No," she said after only a moment's pause. "You're a Toushin, it'll hardly be a fight. I won't kill you so long as you cut back on your..._eating_ habits."

"Now why would I do that?"

Her hand dropped from her weapon and she shrugged. "If you keep on eating the way you have been, there won't be any more humans for you to feast on. I'm sure you can figure out what happens then, Toushin."

"So worried about me, slayer..." His face took on a decidedly perverted look that she recognized from so much time spent around Miroku. "I'm beginning to think like so many other human women, you can't resist my looks."

She rolled her eyes before mounting Kirara again. "Please, I've seen better. Don't make me come after you again." Kirara turned and leaped into the air before the youkai could respond.

He had never been left behind before. Usually, he was the one doing the leaving. He grinned and took in the air and auras around him. A slayer that did not kill him... He could not help but be intrigued.

Sango did not have to seek him out again. Instead, he came looking for her.


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer:** I claim no ownership of _Sengoku Otogizoushi - InuYasha_ or _Yu Yu Hakusho. InuYasha_ belongs to Takahashi Rumiko, Shogakukan, Viz Media, ShoPro Entertainment, and Shounen; while _Yu Yu Hakusho_ belongs to Togashi Yoshihiro, Shueisha, Viz Media, and Shounen. No profit or money of any kind is made from this fan-created crossover.

* * *

**_Allied Promises  
_**_Chapter Two  
_

* * *

_1560, Japan  
_

Kagome had returned to the Sengoku Jidai a more mature, older woman of eighteen. Yet even that did little to prepare her for the changes that had taken place in her group of friends. Shippou was often gone as he trained with other kitsune around his age, Inuyasha traveled with Miroku performing various jobs at various villages, Rin was training under Kaede, Kohaku was youkai slaying with Kirara, and Sango...

Sango had fallen in love with a youkai. A Toushin, to be correct, called Raizen. She had met him upon her return. Even given all the other changes, it was odd to get used to him. She had been so convinced that she would settle down somewhere with Inuyasha, and that Sango and Miroku would have married and had hordes of children by now. Kagome was learning the hard way that life did not always go as one had planned.

After two months, a time came when they all sat down together in Kaede's hut. Inuyasha and Miroku sat on one side of the small fire while Sango and Raizen sat on the other with Kagome and Shippou to sit in-between them. None looked too happy to be there, or just plain uncomfortable, yet everyone but Kagome seemed to know why they were there.

Raizen drummed his fingers against his knees. "After talking with Sango, I have a proposition for you all."

Inuyasha and Miroku shifted, their respective weapons moving into an easier position to grab. "Have you expanded on your earlier request, Raizen-sama?" Miroku asked.

Kagome and Shippou traded confused looks before turning their attention to Raizen. "I have, monk. You, the mutt, and the kitsune will have a place in my lands with room for promotion if you manage to get your strength up. I'll stop eating humans, and Sango won't kill any youkai anymore. That's as far as I'm willing to compromise."

"What's going on?" Kagome asked. She had kept her curiosity in check for as long as she could, and now she wanted some answers.

"Things are changing here, Kagome-chan," Sango said. "There's been two realms separating youkai from humans, but the barrier was weak. Those in charge of the third realm are going to strengthen the barrier and kick all youkai into their own realm."

"So Raizen is going to give you all a chance to join his ranks and live in his realm...?"

Raizen grinned at her, showing off his sharp teeth. "That's right, miko-chan. I even have a deal for you."

The four other males in the room eyed him with nothing short of contempt. She had not been involved in their original plans, but she also had been in her own time when they had been made. Kagome fisted her hand in the fabric of her haori sleeve. "What kind of deal?"

"I can't live without feeding off of humans. But your blood, miko-chan, could keep me alive. Even now I can taste the power in it."

"But Kagome's a miko," Shippou chimed in. "Her power would kill us."

"You all, yes. Because you're weak-ass little babies. Her power and blood would only increase mine."

Kagome hesitated. Sango saw that and reached over to grab and squeeze her hand. "Please. I love him, Kagome-chan." Those words changed her life forever. She wondered if Sango knew how much it would change them all as they escaped her lips.

The love in her voice made the decision for her. Kagome could understand that kind of love. More than that, Kagome had no problem agreeing in order to help out a friend she dearly loved. They were all waiting for her answer, if she would do it or not before they gave their own. With Naraku dead and the shikon no tama forever gone, was it really time for all of them to focus on making the best out of their lives? She felt as if she was condemning them all to something unforgivable as she said, "I'll do it."

She focused her eyes and head down at her lap so she would not have to look at anyone else to see what they thought of her decision. Perhaps she had spent too much time in the past and dwelling on it to be thinking the worst of such a simple request. Raizen _had_ changed drastically under Sango's love; even his request was different from one he would have probably made a year ago: to be able to live without eating the flesh of humans. Perhaps it was all for the better instead. For Sango and her feelings, she would never regret her decision...

It was Sango's plea that echoed in her mind the next night as she held out her left arm to Raizen. As he carved a simple symbol, the characters for his name enclosed in a circle -- she felt each and every stroke --, onto the back of her hand with his nail, Sango's love and desire to have them all taken care of by her lover was imprinted in her mind as Kagome cried and screamed from the pain. Even as he drank the blood that had been spilled, she focused on why she had agreed, why they had all agreed: to endure in a changing world.

For Sango's love, better training for Shippou, a status befitting Inuyasha's birth, a home for Miroku, and her own place in Raizen's court, she gave her arm and blood freely to the Toushin. She ensured that he would live all the way to her time, along with Inuyasha and Shippou and whatever descendants may come from any of them. For two years, he stockpiled her blood.

When Kagome had returned to the Sengoku Jidai at eighteen, it had been with the hope of staying there until she died by Inuyasha's side. At twenty, she returned home in order to keep her end of the deal. Kagome mused that they should have never told a youkai such as Raizen about her ability to time-travel.

* * *

_Three Years Ago, Tokyo  
_

Kagome opened the wooden door to the small well-shrine and slipped out into the fading sunlight. She brought her hand up to block the setting sun's light and scanned the courtyard for anyone nearby. A relieved sigh escaped her lips as she saw no one before grabbing her yellow backpack from inside the shrine and shutting the door. She walked at a normal pace, knowing no one would really find her out of place in traditional miko garb and carrying a backpack if someone did manage to be nearby. They would not ask questions about that, but rather why she had been in the small shrine. No one would understand or believe the answer to that.

She screamed and dropped her backpack when something soft and furry touched her shoulder. She whipped around to face whatever had snuck up on her, only to find her little brother holding Buyo. He started laughing at her expense until she smacked him on his head.

"Jeez, nee-san, you're so jumpy!" He whined as he held his head, Buyo landing safely on the ground.

"You brat, that's how you greet me?" she said, grabbing her backpack. She was, however, caught off-guard when Souta hugged her.

"You came back just like that youkai said you were going to." His words and voice were muffled by the fabric of her haori, yet she still heard them. Kagome stiffened and Souta noticed. "Nee-san? What's wrong?"

"Youkai... A youkai stopped by and said I would be returning?" She felt as if the entire world was closing in on her. She knew that one day Raizen would be contacting her, she had just not expected for it to have happened while she was away. Some of her darker thoughts that she had had when she agreed to Raizen's deal returned. What if it had not been Raizen or one of his men who had visited, but someone who wanted to harm her and her family to get to him?

Souta did not notice the panicked route her thoughts had taken and nodded as he pulled away. "He said his name was Hokushin, and that he knew Inu-no-nii-san. He left a package for you for when you returned from the past." He paused and a serious look took over his face. "He left right afterwards. We didn't even get to ask him how he knew about you time-traveling or that you would be returning... Do you know him, nee-san?"

She gave him a strained smile and ruffled his hair. "I think so... I'll have to see the package. C'mon, let's go inside. I'm starving." She hoped she did know him and that he had been sent by Raizen. Or else... She did not want to think on that.

Her trepidation did not fade as the night wore on, even when she was reunited with her mother and grandfather. It grew as she sat in her room late that night and stared at a plain envelope with her name written by a familiar hand. She rubbed the raised scar on the back of her left hand, tracing the lines and strokes that she would never be able to forget. Whoever had dropped off the envelope did work for Raizen. "Well, Kagome... It's now or never," she told herself.

She ripped open the envelope and dumped the contents of it out onto her bed. A replica key-chain of the shikon no tama was the first thing to fall out, followed by three different letters. It was so typical of Raizen, especially for him to send such a gift. He was such a playful jerk; she figured the years had only made him more of one. With barely a second thought, she tossed it over her shoulder and off the bed before grabbing the three letters. One was from Inuyasha, the second from Shippou, and the third from Raizen. It made her smile to know that they still remembered her even after so many centuries. Yet she would leave their letters for last.

Raizen's letter spoke of what had happened in the centuries she had been gone. Of how Sango had died. She knew that he had had issues with another youkai called Mukuro in the past to the point of almost having a war between their lands, and that a new youkai called Yomi was just beginning to rise up in power... But for such a battle to have taken place between them soon after she left. Both Sango and Raizen had made sacrifices in order to make their relationship work, and they had only been to spend so few years together before being killed in the last battle the three youkai had had. And the blood of hers he had stockpiled was greatly destroyed in that battle as well.

Inuyasha's and Shippou's letters confirmed it, too. They also let her know that she had done the right thing in giving her blood to the Toushin. Even after Sango died, he loved her enough to still refrain from eating though he was close to dying of starvation now.

Though there was an interesting thing of note in Raizen's letter. He spoke of a descendant alive in her time; she figured they had to have written the letters to her right before they were delivered. A plan was unfolding in her realm, the Ningenkai, to destroy the barrier separating their two realms, at Mushiyori City. From the way it was written, Kagome figured it had to be close to beginning by the time she read it. He asked if she would go there and keep an eye on things and on his descendant, a Urameshi Yuusuke, because he was going to awaken him if given a chance.

Kagome all ready knew her answer. It was the least she could do given that he was dying. She would consider it to be his last request of her.

* * *

In the Makai, a five-tailed kitsune ran through the dark halls of a palace carrying two gourds of blood. They dripped onto the floor, filling his nose with a scent he had not smelled in centuries. He wished to stop and savor it, but he had been told to be quick about returning with the last of her blood.

As he came closer to the door to Raizen's preferred room, he slowed his gait. The sounds of conversation could be heard even outside such thick walls. He really did not want to interrupt it at all; there was no getting through to either stubborn youkai.

"Why the hell are you doing this? You'll kill yourself quicker!"

The hoarse reply was too low for him to hear.

"What if he dies from this? Did you think of that? And what if she hasn't returned home yet, huh? Just because you want to fucking die doesn't mean you have to take the rest of us down with you!"

He stood outside the door and sighed heavily. They knew all the risks they were taking; they knew what would happen if any or all of them failed. He did not need to keep on reminding them all.

"She won't be late, and it's doubtful she'd let him die. And if both happen, then you both know she will take over in my place, as we agreed centuries ago. Stop being such a fucking crybaby, Inuyasha. Shippou, stop eavesdropping and get in here."

The kitsune grinned and pushed open the door, uncaring that he had been caught listening in. Kitsune nature, and all that. Raizen was slouched in his throne, his gaunt form still as fit as ever. Though he was paler and so much weaker than the youkai Shippou had looked up to five-hundred years ago. He hated love for what it did to the Toushin. Inuyasha was the same as ever, still wearing his fire-rat clothes and carrying around Tetsusaiga. Though his face was older and more angular, ire and stubbornness gave his chin a certain set to it.

"She'll be late, you know," Inuyasha said. "It's in her nature."

Shippou could only smirk as Inuyasha stomped out of the room with a quality that reminded Shippou of a pouting child.

"I'm counting on it, Inuyasha," Raizen said as Shippou began setting everything up for the very last blood transfusion.


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer:** I claim no ownership of _Sengoku Otogizoushi - InuYasha_ or _Yu Yu Hakusho. InuYasha_ belongs to Takahashi Rumiko, Shogakukan, Viz Media, ShoPro Entertainment, and Shounen; while _Yu Yu Hakusho_ belongs to Togashi Yoshihiro, Shueisha, Viz Media, and Shounen. No profit or money of any kind is made from this fan-created crossover.

* * *

**_Allied Promises  
_**_Chapter Three  
_

* * *

_Two Days Later  
_

Shippou watched patiently as the very last of Kagome's blood made its way through the tube and into the Toushin's arm. This needed to work; it needed to give Raizen enough strength to do what needed to be done. Unlike so many of their other gambles and life altering decisions they had made through the last half-millennium, there were no contingency plans, no back-ups, no room for error, no nothing. This was an all-or-nothing gamble. They had so much to gain, and so very much to lose. Shippou loathed it.

He had all the faith and hope in all the realms in the woman he saw as his older sister, but there were far too many "what-if"s about the entire situation. Yet desperate times called for desperate measures. He did not know anything they had done that was more desperate than this. For once in his life, Shippou prayed to every kami he knew that everything would go according to plan. That, for once, everything would fall into place. And he hoped that he did not just jinx the entire damn thing.

"All right, kit. It's almost time. I can feel the barrier close to coming down," Raizen said. He flexed his hand as the last bit of miko blood flowed into his veins. It was truly the last of her blood as he had emptied the first gourd of it two days ago. It had given him enough of a power boost to sustain him throughout the whole process of bringing back his descendant as a full-fledged youkai, and the second gourd of blood would ensure that he had enough power to kill the bastard stupid enough to kill his however-many-great-grandson.

Shippou nodded. "Let's get this done then... So we can have her back, too." He turned and left the room to stand guard with Inuyasha.

* * *

Kagome had arrived at the cave near the outskirts of Mushiyori City an hour ago. The feeling of youki and reiki was so oppressive that she had felt it upon leaving behind Tokyo. It let her know she was not too late, as she had feared given the centuries that had passed, and was also a beacon lighting the way to where she needed to go. And if she could feel it so well, she had to wonder how uncomfortable regular humans had to feel from it.

Outside, she could see three people standing around. Despite the overwhelming youki and reiki radiating from the cave, she could tell that two of them were from Reikai, given the way Inuyasha had described it in his letter. The blue-haired woman definitely felt like the creatures of death she had come across a few times in the past. Yet the young man with the pacifier... He had to be the prince of Reikai. She did not like the looks of this too much. Especially not with the old woman with enough reiki to destroy a small town.

For what had to be the hundredth time, Kagome wondered just what Raizen had managed to drag her into this time.

As she walked closer, they tensed and turned to look at her. Only the old woman slipped into a defensive stance. It did confirm her thoughts on the other two: they were not fighters and probably would not be injured if she used her hama no reiryoku on them. She stopped a few feet from them and held up her left hand, its back to them and showing them the symbol there. If they were who she thought they were, then they would recognize it.

She was not disappointed.

The blue-haired woman gasped and pointed. "That's... That's!"

Kagome nodded. "Yes. I was sent by Raizen. He has...a vested interest in this."

The old woman relaxed her stance, and the prince nodded his head. "I can't say I'm surprised. I had a feeling someone from one of the lords would be watching to see what happens. I'm surprised, though, that it was Raizen, and that he sent a human."

She dropped her hand and laughed. "I'm sure. But out of the three lords, he does like humans the best. Do you mind if we head down there?"

The prince shook his head. "I was just about to head back in myself. We can go together. Botan, Genkai, remember the plan." He nodded toward them before leading the way into the twisting tunnels of the cave.

Though Kagome was sure she could have found the way without the glowing flowers, she did not think the prince could. Nor did she want to reveal too much about her abilities just yet. Raizen would yell her ear off, and then Inuyasha would yell off her other ear. "You're... KoEnma-sama, right?" she asked when they had walked far enough in the tunnel.

She could barely see him nod. "Yes. And you are? In all my time overseeing things in my father's absence, I've never come across reports of a human being entangled with one of the three lords."

"I'm Kagome." She smiled before it quickly fell under the weight of memories. "And that's because it's been a long time. Not many know. The only reason I'm here is because I have an obligation to him. Though, I have a feeling I might be earlier than he intended for me to be." Her nervous laugh bounced off the waves of the cave. She really hoped they were not banking on her being late. God help them when she got her hands on them if they were. Just because she had been late in returning a couple of times did not mean it was a habit.

She hoped Inuyasha's ears were burning. And she hoped he knew it was because she was plotting his punishment. She knew it had to have been him who told Raizen about her tardiness and made it enough of a deal for them to make a plan around it.

Kagome could feel KoEnma's eyes on her. He was probably wondering how a young-looking human woman had managed to cross over the barrier into the Makai, not die at the hands of youkai, and end up in the court of a Toushin. It had the makings of a very odd, cliched romance novel. "And obligation, huh? What kind of obligation ends up with a human woman bearing the mark of a Toushin?"

The way he worded that sentence caused so many emotions to cross her mind. She was certain they left shadows in her eyes and made her seem far older than she was. And, in the back of her mind, she could hear Sango's voice pleading her love. Her thumb absently rubbed the curves of the mark on her hand, remembering all that happened centuries in the past, but only years ago for her. "The kinds made of love."

The young ruler looked at her oddly for a few moments. The sounds of battle that could be heard kept him from questioning her further, and drew them both back into the reality that was now just one cavern opening away. They both knew what it was for different reasons: a battlefield where one side would win and the other die, and they both knew what would happen if Yuusuke lost. The Ningenkai would be lost as well. Yet KoEnma had a different feeling: he had looked into Yuusuke's file, and given the appearance of Kagome, he had a feeling that Yuusuke was to die.

Kagome wavered at the sound of flesh pounding unmercifully on flesh before shaking her head. "I'll stay out here. I have a feeling I'll know when I'm supposed to step in."

The young ruler nodded and did not press. It was not his position to at the moment, not when he had to do his best to help out Yuusuke. No one was going to die if he had anything to say about it.

It was hours, or perhaps only a few minutes later, as Kagome lounged outside the entrance to the room that she could hear Yuusuke's voice. It unnerved her, given that there was no sounds of battle and how determined, yet so pained, his voice was.

"Just a little bit more... I can get him...somehow... Just a little bit more." In his hoarse voice, she could hear his gritted teeth and the blood just waiting to be coughed up. She had seen and heard it far too many times with Inuyasha that she knew he was not going to just lie down and die. He was remarkably like Sango and Raizen.

She had to sigh and shake her head at the convoluted situation she had landed herself into, from what she had heard. She had an urge to tell KoEnma that he had done a good job of breaking a human so completely that he developed enough personalities to master the ultimate Ki and reaching the S-Class level in such a short time. Though she may only have a very basic knowledge of the realms and classes and different ki, she knew enough that only another S-Class human or youkai could take down someone else in the S-Class. It caused her eyes to fill with tears as she realized that the boy did have to die in order for that "Sensui Shinobu" to be stopped, and, from what she was hearing, he knew it too. And by the way his friends were yelling at him, she knew they had just figured out his plan as well.

It was such a stupid, fool-hardy plan. It was why she knew it would work.

"Damnit, Urameshi, listen to me! I did that because you... You're you, you moron!"

If Inuyasha, Sango, Miroku, or even Shippou were there, they would tell her how much it was a move she would make.

"You're... You're my best..."

Though she knew the truth. It was a move Sango would make more than her. Sacrificing herself to save others, she had done it in the past. Only it was not Sango nor her, it was a boy not much older than her; and his friends were just like her friends. She closed her eyes, willing back the tears she wanted to cry at how desperate and pained his friends sounded.

"If I'm gonna die, I wanna die fighting. With him."

She almost wished she could run out there yelling that he would live. Raizen's plan finally made sense to her, and she wanted to use it to comfort them.

"Four-on-One... Yuusuke will be mad, but I couldn't stand it if one of us was gone. That's why we came."

Yet she knew to do so would be counter-productive. They needed to let their anger and grief push them beyond their limits, unlocking their own power. They needed to buy time between his death and rebirth. She was only there to make sure Yuusuke lived after and through his possession. From there, who knew where this crazy adventure she did not want would take them all.

"Let us go to his side."

Her eyes closed even more tightly as she could feel their youki and reiki swirl around them all the more. If she thought it was overwhelming before, now it was enough to make her pass out from the pressure. He was not even dead yet, and yet... Despite herself and the tears in her eyes, she could not help smiling. Yuusuke was very lucky to have friends like them.

"How fucking corrupt can you be!"

"Shinobu! Kill him now!"

In the silence in the middle of a storm, everything could be heard. She listened as his friends broke free from whatever was holding them back, and she heard when they landed on solid ground. But they were just a second too late. The sound when the bullet pierced him was loud enough to echo, just like the silence that surrounded his fall. After this, nothing would be the same. Not for Yuusuke, nor his friends, nor her.

In a few moments, it would begin and her purpose would be revealed. Damn Raizen and his foresight. Now, Kagome mused, it was all up to the Toushin to make his appearance on time.


	4. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer:** I claim no ownership of _Sengoku Otogizoushi - InuYasha_ or _Yu Yu Hakusho. InuYasha_ belongs to Takahashi Rumiko, Shogakukan, Viz Media, ShoPro Entertainment, and Shounen; while _Yu Yu Hakusho_ belongs to Togashi Yoshihiro, Shueisha, Viz Media, and Shounen. No profit or money of any kind is made from this fan-created crossover.

* * *

**_Allied Promises  
_**_Chapter Three  
_

* * *

Kagome kept her eyes and ears closed to the sounds of battle. Honestly, she did not like fights, especially to the death. This was the twenty-first century, not the sengoku jidai: there should be no need for such things anymore. The taunts of their enemy, the grief and anger in their own taunts, the sound of a heart failing to beat anymore... They were memories of a life she thought she left behind in the past; a life she did not want.

Not to mention, all three of Yuusuke's friends were powerful enough that if she did not do her best not to pay attention, she would be feeling the roller-coaster of their emotions. Because they were _that_ powerful, and emoting in their rapidly increasing battle auras. The ningenkai, on the other hand, could not ignore it and the earth began to shake dangerously from the pressure of their power.

Yet she continued to sit just outside the entrance to the part of the cave they were in with a calmness that came from taking part in one too many battles. And she waited for the inevitable:

For them to cross into what remained of the barrier separating the ningenkai and the makai. For the barrier to be cut by the "Kuwabara" Raizen had written of. For them all to cross into the makai.

And it did. Though she and her friends may not have much luck on their side, they did have _some_.

Once she could feel the last bit of the barrier fall and their energy signals cross over into that realm that could withstand their power, Kagome came back to herself. Now, it was time for her part in this whole situation: making sure Yuusuke was not killed after his rebirth.

"Strange... Yuusuke's soul hasn't left his body, even though his heart has definitely stopped beating."

Kagome recognized KoEnma's voice as she entered where the previous battle had taken place. He was really going to be in for a surprise when he came back to life, despite being a god that held some sway in that area. And she hoped she read him right, and that he would be happy, too.

"You mean... He's not really dead?" This time a young man she did not know spoke. He spoke flawless Japanese, yet he looked very much like a European boy with his blond hair. Raizen had written nothing of this boy, and neither had Inuyasha or Shippou. Yet she figured he was not a threat given how at ease KoEnma was around him.

"Oh, no. He's definitely dead," Kagome said when she reached their side. Already she could see the signs of Raizen's influence working on awakening the demonic atavism. It made the brand on the back of her left hand itch and warm.

And she was glad when, just as Raizen had predicted, the SDF appeared and made it clear that they were a threat. To KoEnma, to Yuusuke, to everything that scared Enma-sama. It allowed her to not answer any questions they had, and to get away with what she needed to do without issue. KoEnma would be enough of a distraction to them, along with the barrier. It was for the best.

She knelt beside Yuusuke and placed her hand on his chest, beginning to heal him and guiding Raizen's energy throughout his body. At such a close distance, she could not help noticing the similarities in appearance he shared with Sango. It was the shape of their face, she decided: both held a certain warrior cut to their face that showed in the sharpness of their jaws and the shape of their eyes. Not only that, but they were both stubborn and strong-willed beyond belief: Sango had clawed her way out of a shallow grave, Yuusuke would be eluding death for the second time. He was very lucky, in her opinion, to have descended from such strong and noble lines. Sango and Raizen would be proud of their progeny.

And so long as he continued to be that strong-willed and stubborn, and_ lived_, she knew her previous debt to Raizen would be paid.

Yet that thought came just one second before all her luck ran out.

They had been banking on the SDF being more concerned with KoEnma and repairing the barrier, not turning their attention on her and Yuusuke so soon. It was a simple mistake on their part, and now she was staring into the face of certain death by high-powered ki attacks. _Reiki_ attacks, not _youki_; not what her hama no reiryoku could protect against.

Protection had come a second too soon in the form of a giant blue spirit beast. Yuusuke's, she assumed because it had not been mentioned in any letter. Just as she assumed those three _boys_ had to have known about it, yet failed to mention it. She would not put it past them at this point, and it was just one more thing to yell at them for when they finally met.

Conversations, KoEnma dragging her on the back of the spirit beast, flying into makai... All went over her head as she tried to figure out what was going on. The plans that had been laid out had fallen apart as _none of this was supposed to happen!_ It was not until she felt the oppressive force of youki in the makai air and the increasing discomfort of the brand on her hand that she realized where they were.

At that point, Kagome just shrugged her shoulders. Screw carefully-laid plans that now meant nothing, and screw the fact that she was at least a hundred meters in the air. If the burning of her brand was anything to go by, Raizen was three seconds away from posessing Yuusuke, and her improvised plans generally worked out in the end in the past, so she jumped off the back of the spirit beast and toward Yuusuke-about-to-be-possessed-by-Raizen-without-her-around. Which had a good chance of killing him.

She could just hear KoEnma screaming at her. However, she discovered that movies lied and that one can not actually have a conversation in the air because one is falling too fast. Before she could even think to reply with something along the lines of, "It's OK," the newly transformed Yuusuke caught her easily.

"Glad to know you weren't late." Though the words were spoken from Yuusuke's mouth, it was undeniably Raizen's tone.

Kagome huffed before climbing onto his back, where she could easily use her hama no reiryoku to keep him in-check and not be a burden in his fight with the human. "When this is all done and I see you again... You and Inuyasha are gonna get it."

"I look forward to it, miko-chan. Try not to plummet to your death because you're too much of a prude to hold on."

* * *

Together they stood guard in front of the room Raizen was currently in. Five-hundred-years ago, it seemed as if they would never get along enough to fight alongside each other, but time had a way of changing everything. Once rivals, now comrades-in-arms. Inuyasha and Shippou proudly protected their weakened leader. Any who dared get too close would pay with their lives. They had waited and prepared for this for far too long, and they would be damned if they slipped up on their end. Raizen was sending out his spirit and power to his descendant, who would hopefully be with Kagome, which left his body vulnerable. They were to protect it and make sure no harm came to it while he was screwing around in his descendant's body. Raizen may be over a thousand-years-old, but his maturity was still somewhere around fifteen.

"Say, Inuyasha," Shippou said, finally bored with standing around in front of a door, "do you think she's changed at all?"

Inuyasha rolled his eyes. "Still a stupid runt. It's only been a few days for her."

"I know that, Inu-kkoro! I'm asking if you think _she's changed at all_."

Inuyasha smirked when he finally caught onto what Shippou was really asking about: if anything would change between them and the relationships they had had with her when they met again. "Knowing her, it ain't likely."

Shippou smiled to himself, reassured by his words. He did not want anything to change between how they had been centuries ago because he always wanted Kagome to remain as his older sister. He wanted their friendship to always be there, no matter what happened or how much time passed between them.

* * *

It was with great reluctance that Kagome opened her eyes when she felt Raizen's presence fading from Yuusuke's body. To use her hama no reiryoku in such ways, especially when she was already not very adept at using said power, was very draining. More so when coupled with her trip to Mushiyori City. Though she did not mind: just because she had spent time in the sengoku jidai did not mean that she loved to watch battles to the death.

She loosened the grip she had on Yuusuke's shoulders, and briefly wondered if he even realized she was there, and could not help smiling at seeing some of Raizen's looks on him: the tattoos and the heel-length hair. She was grateful it was not silver.

Her strength left her as soon as her feet touched the ground, and soon after crumpled to the ground. The Reikai Prince was at her side in a moment as the others were focused upon the human Raizen had killed.

"Who are you exactly?"

"Someone sent by Raizen to help... As I said before." She smiled. "He's a lot like the woman who helped start his family line... He'll want to find Raizen."

"Are you saying he'll choose to stay here in the Makai?"

She shook her head. He would want to find Raizen, but not if he had to stay in the makai to do so. He was not entirely ready. "No. Just that he'll want to find him, and fight him. Tell him... I'll be waiting at the Higurashi Shrine in Tokyo. It is the last thing I was asked to do: bring him to Raizen when he wants to meet."

KoEnma nodded, and she finally closed her eyes again. She was so tired and exhausted of energy, and she trusted the prince enough to make sure she arrived home safely.


	5. Chapter 5

**_Allied Promises  
_**

**_Chapter Five_**

* * *

_- One Week Later -_

It had been a surprise to Kagome to wake up in her room after she remembered passing out in the Makai. She supposed the little ruler of Reikai brought her home after they went back to the Ningenkai, and from her lack of more unique visitors in the coming days, she knew her presence had been overlooked, if not forgotten. Not that she could blame them, they did have more important things and events to focus on. And she had a brief moment of peace with her family.

She was rather thankful none of them had pushed her for answers regarding why she was back in this time, looking as if she was going to stay for good. That was one story she would tell in her own time, it was as dear to her as her own legend. Perhaps in time, that story would be told alongside her own: The Legend of the Shikon no Tama. That would be the day she would be able to tell her family all that had happened to cause her to return a year after she left for the Sengoku Jidai for good.

"Nee-chan!" She turned away from the well-house she had been looking at and towards her younger brother. He had grown up so much from the little boy he used to be. No longer was he the scared little nine-year-old that watched as she was pulled into the well for the first time; he was now a handsome fourteen-year-old trying his hardest to be the best he could be.

"Yes, Sōta-otō?"

He looked away almost shyly towards the Goshinboku. "Well... I was just wondering... You did say you would tell me a story about your travels..."

Kagome smiled brightly before ruffling his hair playfully. "I did, didn't I?" Her blue-gray eyes twinkled in merriment as she led her brother over towards the Goshinboku. Perhaps there was no better time than to present to tell the story brought about by the ending of the Shikon no Tama. "Hmm... Where should I begin?" Sōta waited patiently as his sister gathered together all her thoughts, as she normally did before speaking of the past. He always loved watching her speak of what happened, she was the only person who could teach him about legends in such a way that he was always left wanting to hear more.

"As you know, when one story ends, another begins. This story begins with the destruction of the Shikon no Tama and after the disappearance of the mysterious Miko of Time. Life returned to normal for all those left behind as their days were filled with a peacefulness they had never experienced before. It was almost too good to be true: being blessed with peace after a lifetime of bloodshed. However, despite their happiness, a small amount of sadness could not go away. They missed the miko who brought them together and gave them their second chance at life.

"It was that sorrow, and the boredom that often comes with peace, that caused their paths to cross. A yōkai taijiya and the Tōshin. She was intrigued by his power, his beauty, and the fact that he truly was a Tōshin. He was captivated by her strength, her bluntness, and her fire. In his entire life, the Tōshin had never not eaten a human he found suitable. But there, in one chance encounter, he found he could not bring himself to do what she all but begged him to try and do..."

"I am sorry to interrupt you, Kagome-sama, but our time is limited here," an authoritative voice cut off whatever Kagome was going to say next. Brother and sister turned to look behind them to see three men looking, for all intents and purposes, like human monks.

Smiling apologetically at Sōta, Kagome eyed each of them warily. "You have one minute to tell me who you are and what you are doing here, yōkai."

"Or what, miko-chan?" the more gruff-looking monk taunted her.

The one in the middle, who spoke before, sighed. "Touou, don't even start. I apologize, Kagome-sama. My name is Hokushin; I am Raizen-sama's second-in-command."

Kagome's eyes flashed with recognition, however she knew Sōta would be incredibly confused. Ruffling his hair once again, she smiled softly. "Sorry, Sōta-otō..."

The young boy only smiled in acceptance. "I understand. I'll go tell Mama that you'll be late for lunch." She sighed as she watched Sōta run off to the main house before turning her attention back to the three before her. "I'm sorry for my earlier rudeness. But I was under the impression that someone named Inuyasha was Raizen's second-in-command, or even a kitsune named Shippō?"

"They were until a couple-hundred years ago… I'm sure before you went to Moshiyori City you read about what happened back then. Inuyasha-sama and Shippō-sama left soon after to track down the perpetrators, and gave up their positions until a more suitable time."

Kagome nodded her head as she took in that bit of information. She now had to wonder just how long it would be before she saw them again. "Then would I be correct to assume, given your appearance, Hokushin, that you are from Miroku's line?"

Said demon's eyes widened slightly in shock before he chuckled. "Raizen-sama said you were intelligent, but he didn't say you were this fast."

"Yes, well, that will be another thing I will have to talk to Raizen about," Kagome said as she glared at the ground. Raizen was definitely going to get it when she got her hands on him.

Hokushin chuckled, as did the other two with him. "You are correct in assuming I am from Miroku's line. Inuyasha, Shippō and Raizen thought it fitting to continue the ways of the hōshi despite the obvious lack of humanity."

Kagome smiled. "I'm sure the three of them had a good laugh when you took their suggestion seriously."

"Again, you would be correct."

The smile faded from Kagome's eyes. "So, why have you come here, seeking me out?"

"Have you had contact with his descendant yet?"

Kagome shook her head. "I haven't. I told the prince to tell him to visit me here after his possession was done, but he hasn't shown up yet."

The demon monk looked upset at hearing that news. It complicated things. They all turned towards the main house as they saw her little brother head towards them. "We will search him out and speak to him. In one week we'll come back to take you back to Raizen-sama, perhaps you should tell your family in that time what's going on."

"Thank you and I'll be ready when you come back." Those were the words they needed to hear as they walked away to track down a newly awakened Tōshin. Sōta joined her in watching the three demons leave, and they stayed in a companionable silence until they could no longer see them. While he wished his sister could stay with them forever, never going on another quest, he knew that would never happen.

Sōta looked at her with sad eyes, already knowing the answer to his question: "Are you going away again?"

She wished she could tell him that she would be able to stay with him and watch him grow up, but ever since her fifteenth birthday, she knew that was something that would be denied to her for a while. "Sorry Sōta-otō... But I am…"

* * *

At first they thought tracking down Yūsuke would be easy, thinking he was still within Tokyo. However they soon found out he was off in the countryside, surrounded by humans of great spiritual strength. From the branch they settled on, they could easily see and hear inside. It would be in their best benefit to listen in for a while before heading in to talk with the descendant of Raizen.

"I met Shinobu-kun just before I got married," they could the woman he was talking to say. "I could sense the extreme depth of his spiritual strength with one glance. But he looked...sad, and empty. You don't have to worry about that though! You'll last another ten years easily, I guarantee it!"

"Heh… They already fired me."

"Shōgo, why don't you take a look at his future? Shōgo tells fortunes as a hobby - he puts the pros to shame!"

The man sitting next to the woman held out his hand. "Give me your hand...and look straight into my eyes." After a moment of silence, Shōgo spoke, "You are not satisfied with your current life. But in the depths of your heart, you desire to be placed in dangerous situations."

"Bingo, you nailed it." They all chuckled: like ancestor, like descendant.

"If you were to always put yourself first, you'd come to a decision during times of confusion. And whether you like it or not, that danger is coming for you."

Hokushin smirked and stood up, looking to the two he brought with him. "Bingo." Jumping down, they walked up to the front door of the house and rang the doorbell. It wasn't like they were completely without manners. Their presence announced, and knowing the three inside were waiting for them to come in, they did exactly that. "Good evening."

The woman stood up and walked over. "Who might you be?"

"We're not here to talk to you. We've got business with that man."

"Touou!" Hokushin sighed at Touou's abrupt rudeness. Not even time could change that. "My apologies for disturbing you so late, we have very little time. We must be brief and to the point, I'm afraid."

The woman, Kuroko, the first spirit detective, looked at them skeptically. "You've got business with Yūsuke-kun? I'm surprised you managed to find him out here."

"We traced his yōki. We three are emissaries from the Makai."

"Now you've got me interested. I'd like to know what this is about," Kuroko said as Yūsuke walked ahead of her.

"You guys must be seriously weak, huh? I can't even sense your yōki."

Touou, with his complete lack of manners, couldn't stop from laughing at Yūsuke's words. In his opinion, the kid had a long way to go. Hokushin sighed again. "Touou, stop being rude."

It was Yūsuke's turn to be curious. "What's so funny?"

From years of dealing with Raizen, Inuyasha and Shippō, Hokushin learned that the best way to deal with people like this was to be as blunt as possible. "In terms of the Reikai Ranking System, the two behind me are in the A-Class area, and I'm in the S-Class."

"Bullshit! The hole's already been closed and sealed! A and S-Class demons can't get into the Ningenkai anymore."

"We came without making use of any dimensional rifts. Ours was a simpler, less...temporary method." At the shocked and curious looks on the faces of Kuroko and Yusuke, Hokushin sighed. He had hoped this conversation wouldn't take up as much time as it was. "Reikai, fearing what A and S-Class demons could do to the Ningenkai, erected a barrier that only D-Class demons and lower could slip through. Therefore, all we had to do was suppress our power levels down to D-Class," he explained as he undid the clasps of his habit to reveal the method: an implant in the middle of his chest, sucking and storing away all his power.

"Wh-What the fuck is that!?"

"An organic implant that reduces our power levels down to almost nothing. They cannot be removed until we return to the Makai. There are other methods to get here, of course, but they are illegal and thus forbidden to us. We use these implants only when coming to the Ningenkai is absolutely necessary, and are permitted to equip them for a very short amount of time."

"Why'd you go through all that trouble just to talk to me?"

Closing his habit once again, Hokushin was relieved to finally be getting to the conversation he planned on having five minutes ago. "We were asked to invite you to return with us...by your 'true' father."

"The guy who used that 'demonic something-vism,' right?"

"Yes."

Memories of his battle with Sensui flashed through his mind. "He's like a moth to a flame… He just keeps coming straight to me. That old bastard's still alive, isn't he!?"

"Of course."

"And he's really strong, huh!?"

"Again, of course."

"Good! You take me to that asshole right now! I got so many things to say to him, it'll be a year before I'm done!"

This time, it was the third emissary who spoke up, "Don't be in such a rush... We'd like you to hear us out first. As Hokushin said, we're governed by strict rules and regulations concerning visits to the Ningenkai, and you're no exception. If you come back with us, it'll mean you've become one of our allies."

"And why's that?"

"Because our purpose is to speak with you as allies. You can't return with us while you're still considered an outsider."

"What's with all the rules? I didn't even think the Demon World had any."

Touou spoke up this time, his rude act dropped for a moment, "These laws only apply to our country."

"There are as many nations in the Makai as there are stars in the sky," Hokushin finished for him, before his natural rudeness made another appearance. "It's true that the Makai has little order, and no central government. In fact, that very freedom is considered by all the best 'rule' to follow as we have a natural tendency to isolate ourselves with those of the same race, mindset, or what have you. But now, the Makai is undergoing huge changes. The entire world is slowly being drawn into a war between three of its most powerful rulers."

Yūsuke scoffed. "Three? That's an argument, not a war."

Hokushin nodded in agreement. "You're absolutely correct. It's just an argument. The problem is that all three of them have the power to rule the entire Makai. Each one fully detests the other two. There are numerous reasons... One example is their differing thoughts on the 'food supply.' All three are the type that must consume humans for energy." That knowledge didn't sit well with Yūsuke, Kuroko, or her husband, Shōgo.

"One of the three said, 'It's time we stopped eating humans.' Immediately the second countered, 'Humans are the only thing my stomach can handle, and even they're hard to deal with.' The third claimed, 'They multiply at such a rapid rate. We should feel free to eat them as we please.' These differences of opinions carried across all issues, with all three refusing to compromise on anything. But because their powers are so evenly matched, things eventually settled into an uneasy balance. If two got into a fight, the third would wait until a victor emerged, and use the chance to finish them off. This delicate equilibrium has held steady for five-hundred years."

"Five-hundred years!? That's a hell of a long time!"

In spite of Yūsuke's outburst, Hokusin's calm voice never wavered, "All three are patient, and all three are cautious. Those are probably the only things they all have in common. But now, it's clear the balance is about to shift. The one who argued, 'It's time we stop eating humans,' is on the verge of death. That demon is the ruler of our country, and your true father. The 'Warrior God' Raizen. He is wasting away from a lack of nourishment... Why he would sacrifice his own life to abstain from eating humans, I do not know. But I can say this: If it is our ruler's will, we shall obey it."

"What exactly do you want with me?"

"If our ruler falls, we will fight in his place. Unfortunately, we still lack numbers and power. Even one extra ally will make a difference. Our ruler understands you have come to the demon world once before."

"I knew it!" Yūsuke shouted angrily. "That son of a bitch stuck his nose in my fight after all!"

Hokushin considered this; obviously the young man did have some intelligence to go with his power. "You felt it, then. He told us, 'He's not worth shit now, but eventually he'll be a big help.' "

"I'm not buying this." Hokushin made a questioning noise at Yūsuke's words. "You don't want me; you want anyone you can get. You're grasping at straws, even when you know you can't win."

The warrior monk sized up Yūsuke for a moment, wondering if he just came to that conclusion or if he knew from the start. "In all honesty, you are correct. I cannot even hope to match the power of our ruler or the other two. Likewise in your current state, you cannot even hope to match mine. That is why we wish to bring you to the Makai, and train you there."

"I still don't buy it. Why should I believe any of this? The only part I can even confirm is whether or not you're stronger than me."

For the first time since stepping foot into the house, Hokushin smirked. "Would you like to?"

Yūsuke returned it. "If you're up for it."

Kuroko chose this moment to step in once again. "Try not to destroy our house, please. Do it outside." While her husband was considering whether or not it would be believable enough for him to put it in his book before deciding that no human would believe it.

The three warrior monks and Yūsuke waited until they were in the surrounding forest enough before talking about fighting again. As Yūsuke watched Hokushin stand next to one of the trees and get into a fighting stance, he had to ask: "Aren't you gonna take that thing out? You can't be considering fighting in D-Class mode."

"As I said before, it can't be removed until I return. But I think I can win even with it still implanted."

Yūsuke looked at him seriously. "I will kill you, dude."

That seemed to only amuse Hokushin. "Please make every effort to. We all wish to see you fight seriously. With your power, one punch would leave nothing but a bloodstain. Assuming you can hit me, of course." Yūsuke snorted at his boast, knowing there was no way for him to lose against someone with D-Class power. "My special abilities remain intact, even if my overall power is D-Class."

His next move surprised and confused Yūsuke; most opponents don't usually punch a tree before removing their outer robe. Hokushin gracefully slid into his fighting stance as the leaves from the tree began to fall around him. "Let us begin. I will win our match before the last leaf touches the ground."

"Your funeral, dude. Let's do it!" As soon as the words left Yūsuke's mouth, Hokushin launched forward, moving slow to Yūsuke's eyes. Whether or not his slow speed was from the implant, Yūsuke wasn't going to back down from the fight. "Either way, if you wanna die so badly, I'll help! Suck on this!" Yūsuke yelled out as Hokushin came closer before throwing out a punch directly for the monk's face.

Yūsuke watched in a mixture of horror and fascination as his head and neck twisted to the side, just missing the blow from Yūsuke's fist. "I have the most pliable, flexible body in the Makai. That is my special ability. I can stretch my arms out to grab a stone twenty kilometers away." Using his neck, he wrapped it around Yūsuke's arms, leaving it loose enough for him to try and tear his skin. "It's no use. No matter how hard you try to tear my neck, it will keep on stretching." Reaching into his inner robe, he pulled out a knife. Using his neck, he immobilized Yūsuke's arms as he sent the knife towards Yūsuke's heart. "Checkmate."

As the last leaf fell to the ground, he unwound his neck and pulled the knife away from his heart. "If I had my S-Class powers, I would have been able to squeeze you to death, but right now even that little fight pushed me to my limits. This was more or less a psychological trick. Purposely setting a short time-limit to the battle, showing you my abilities, and making you feel like you lost. Did it work?"

Yūsuke just looked at him like he was crazy. Perhaps he was, but given the circumstances, it was more than necessary. "Are you convinced now?"

"Yeah right!"

"Then we'll have to go to the Makai. Then I'll remove this implant and we'll be able to fight to our heart's content. And then, I will defeat you utterly."

Again, Yūsuke scoffed. "More taunts? I'm not falling for your head games again."

To that Hokushin raised an eyebrow. "Head games? You may just be a sore loser, but I can't ignore that statement."

"I don't mean the fight! What you were talking about earlier, you were messing with me! Something seemed off with your story, and now I know why. You said my 'dad,' your ruler, is the type of demon who lives by consuming humans. And five-hundred years ago, he stopped eating them and is on the verge of starving to death. You serve your ruler and obey his will."

Hokushin nodded. "Correct. What part of that is supposed to be a 'head game'?"

"If it's all true, then why have you been eating humans?" At Hokushin's shocked look, Yūsuke smirked. "Looks like I struck a nerve."

The monk only smirked. "You're very observant."

"A long time ago, I fought a guy who ate the souls of children. You've got the same smell coming from your mouth. I dunno what your real goal is, but if there's one thing I can't stand, it's sneaky, lying bastards like you." As he spoke, he fell into the position to fire his Rei-gan. "Get ready."

In a sign of peace, Hokushin held up his hands. "Please, wait. I understand, I'll explain everything." He never got the chance to, as Yūsuke ran forward and landed a punch right on his jaw.

Glaring at him, Yūsuke said, "I held back as much as I could. Go ahead and talk, I'll hear you out before I decide whether or not I'll kill you."

Fixing his twisted neck from the punch, Hokushin replied, "Well done. I didn't even see what was happening until you'd already hit me. Your battle prowess varies greatly depending on your emotions, much like your ancestors'." Rubbing his sore jaw, he decided this was the best time to explain the misunderstanding. "Yes, I've left out some things, but only because I feared you wouldn't understand our feelings of 'camaraderie'."

"Get over yourself. To you guys, it's nothing more than a problem with the 'food supply.' Do the citizens eat or not? Does the king starve or not? Those are all his problems, and you feel connected to him and want to help, right? I never thought that everything you said was a lie."

For the second time, Hokushin found himself smirking over the mental processes of Raizen's descendant. He as truly showing himself to be so much like the man who sired his line. "It seems we've underestimated you."

"The two enemy yōkai you're fighting need to eat humans for nourishment like you, right? But you've still got your reasons for siding with the guy who refuses to eat them any more. Why didn't you just say so from the start?"

"You are without a doubt Raizen-sama's descendant. You resemble him greatly in mindset. The reason is simple: Raizen-sama is the same kind of man you are." Whatever Yūsuke had been waiting to hear, it wasn't that. "Fighting alongside him makes me happy. It is everything to me. When all is said and done, I will quit consuming humans. But for now, I need all the strength I can get to repel our enemies."

That was something Yūsuke could understand. He felt the exact same way about his own comrades, Kuwabara, Hiei, Kurama... There was nothing like the bond forged in combat. But there was one more thing he needed to know. "Why do you fight them so hard?"

"Because our ruler hates them. So, for whatever reason, I hate them too."

"I see. That was easy!"

"Wasn't it? So obviously, we wish for you to meet Raizen-sama. We will seek you out again in one week. Give us your answer then," Hokushin said to him as all three of them began to walk away. Their time was ending in the Ningenkai, and they had to get back to the Makai. "Perhaps you have already made up your mind, but we know you have things to take care of first."

Yūsuke only watched them go, knowing those words were true. He had been looking and waiting for a reason to go back to the Makai to meet this "father" of his, and kick his ass while he was at it too.

"Yūsuke-kun." The tone of Kuroko's voice had him worried. He had never heard her sound that serious during the day. "You should go to the Makai. In fact, that's probably the best thing for everyone." Yūsuke could only look at her in shock, he may not have known her long, but he knew what her next words were going to be. "After looking a yōkai who's eaten humans in the eye and distinctly referring to those humans as a 'food supply,' I don't think you belong in the Ningenkai anymore."

Yūsuke was hesitant to agree with her, but he knew it to be true. "I wanted to keep this quiet, but the Reikai sent an envoy to me, too. With orders to kill you. I refused, of course. And your master called me up soon after. 'If you talk to him in person, you'll understand.' Until now, I thought I did and I wasn't worried. But now, it's different. Now you scare me. I simply can't trust you the way that Master Genkai does.

"The thought of you remaining here and my children being forced to fight you terrifies me. I know you wanted my assistance, but those men just now, and you yourself, are far more powerful than I'll ever be. I can't offer you any help."

Yūsuke smiled, understanding just how she felt. "I understand. Sorry for all the trouble."

As he walked away, Shōgo ran towards him, telling him to wait. When he stopped and turned around to face her husband, he spoke, "It didn't appear to me clearly, so I decided not to mention it... But I also saw a great separation in your future. You and your blood brothers in combat will part ways."

The former Reikai Tantei took those words to heart, knowing it confirmed the feeling he had. Everything had changed from when he first met Hiei and Kurama; things had even changed from when he first met Kuwabara. While he was sad to hear that, he was also excited. Time would prove if their bonds would stay true and strong.

* * *

_Sorry about the long wait for a new chapter. But...life happens. Work happens. Death happens. And sometimes it takes a while to find one's way back to hobbies and the things they used to love to do._

_As always, please don't be afraid to let me know what you thought of this chapter. Whether you loved it or hated it, I always appreciate hearing it._


End file.
